Hybrid Solar Cells Sets New Record in Performance

EPFL`s Institute of Microengineering in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, has created a “hybrid” solar cell based on the technologies behind amorphous thin film and monocrystalline silicon that performs at a conversion efficiency of 21.4% – higher than any other solar cell using this type of substrate.
Read full story  - Hybrid Solar Cells Sets New Record in Performance

Great Ways To Go Green at Home

Many individuals are becoming more and more environmentally conscious in every part of their lives. Individuals and families are realizing the impact their decisions have on the environment around them, and are actively doing things to try and mitigate the environmental impact of their decisions. However, people also realize that doing everything possible to mitigate their environmental impact is near impossible. But here are some easy and great ways to go green at home and help the environment.
Great Ways To Go Green at Home

Garbage Granulator – waste management solution

This past few months, The streets of Manila Philippines has been inundated and a content in the news. Regular player are tons and tons of garbage in the shore and floating in the water world like streets of Metro Manila. Questions are everywhere on how to atleast reduce waste to avoid flooded streets. Renewable engineering solution is the answer.

This is called “the Garbage Granulator”, developed by a Filipino engineer Bong Archeta. Taal, Batangas is one of the municipalities benefiting the granulator...
Read the Full Story in Got Eco Technology

BMW’s Electric Scooter Packs 75 mph – The Green Solution for Crowded Urban Centers

Electric scooters have been dabbed as one of the greenest practical solution for crowded urban centers. BMW’s electric scooter is designed to achieve the performance specification of a gasoline-fueled scooter. This all-electric scooter will pack a top speed of 75mph, and a full charged battery range of 100 kilometers or 62 miles plus the range added with the use of its regenerative braking system. And it plugs into standard electric cars charging stations.

Read full article at Got Eco Technology.

The Soccket: Power Soccer Ball – Fun and Play Equals Electricity

The world’s most popular sport becomes more fun with the Soccket. The world’s first eco-friendly portable power generator that combines fun and play with power generation. This innovative soccer ball is equipped with a gyroscopic mechanism that captures energy in every kick, roll, bounce and with even the slightest movements of the ball. Created for developing countries who lack access to electricity, but the love for the game is so full.

Believe it or not, with our current technology 1 out of 5 people in the world still live without electricity. In developing countries, a lot of families cannot afford the cost of electricity and some live too far away from the electric grid. So they use health hazardous energy and light sources, like kerosene.

Read the full article at Got Eco Technology.

Hawaii Implements Statewide Plastic Bag Ban – First U.S State

Hawaii is officially the first U.S state to have a statewide ban on plastic bags. Huge credits to local activists and volunteers who fought and built support for the ban. This amazing development is big statement for the environment conscious community, with the fact that the statewide ban was not actually a law on a state level. It was a separate effort of all four counties of Hawaii.

On May 10, 2012, Honolulu has joined the other three counties of Hawaii after legislators finally signed the bill to ban plastic bags. This made Hawaii officially the first U.S. state to have a statewide plastic bag ban with all its four counties implementing it in their own counties.

Read full story at 
Got Eco Technology - Innovations for the Earth.

Filipino Inventor Turns Plastic Trash Into Liquid Gold

A Filipino inventor has found a way to convert plastic trash into fuel – Gasoline, Diesel and Kerosene. Though not a very new invention, Jayme Navarro has found his own way of turning plastic into fuel, through a process called  “Pyrolysis”. This patented system has been proven to convert non-biodegradable and non-recyclable plastics into fuel. If implemented in a large-scale this system could literally turn hill sized land fills in the Philippines into a goldmine – “fuelmine”.

 Read full story at Got Eco Technology

High Altitude Wind Turbines: To harness winds 1,000 feet up in the sky

Harnessing the power of high altitude winds has been continually explored over the years. Recently, testing of a 35-foot wide prototype of an Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) has been completed by Altaeros Energies. The AWT was deployed at 350 feet high and produced twice as much power at high altitude than generated at conventional tower height turbines, this was done in an automated cycle. It was transported and deployed from a trailer, which can be very useful in remote areas. It is as clean and portable as it can get.

The Value of a Tree - worth $193,250

We all know how important trees are to mother nature. Some even consider it priceless, while others would simply place a commercial value on them. But have you ever wondered, How much a tree is really worth?.

In our recent trip to the City of Davao, Philippines. We visited one of their main tourist attraction, the Eden Nature Park & Resort. Our journey around the 80 hectares park, led us across a billboard, right on the side of a walkway, with the heading "A tree is worth $193,250".

 "Of concern to all! A tree is worth $193,250. According to Professor T.M.Das of the University of Calcutta. A tree living for 50 years will generate $31,250 worth of oxygen, provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control, control soil erosion and increase soil fertility to the tune of $31,250. Recycle $37,500 worth of water and provide a home for animals worth $31,250. This figure does not include the value of fruits, lumber or beauty derived from trees. Just another sensible reason to take care of our forests."

It may not be an accurate calculation but it is just amazing how the tree's benefits were presented by that small billboard. It is a good reminder and a simple green solution that we could use onour way towards greener technology and solutions. Well, sometimes we need to be reminded of the obvious.

McDonald's New Paper Cups To Replace Polystyrene Coffee Cups

The company has taken a major environmental initiative, by launching a pilot program to drop the use of polystyrene foam cups. Their previous initiative was phasing out Styrofoam for its food packaging, but hot beverages were still served on polystyrene cups.

The program is testing a double-walled paper cup as replacement for polystyrene cups. It will involve 2,000 of their restaurants in the U.S primarily on the West Coast, that represent 15 percent of their restaurants in the U.S.

Since it is still on a testing process, the pilot program will asses; Customer acceptance, Operational impact and Overall importance.

This is definitely a great news for the environment. Especially with a move from a large international company like McDonald's. They have done such move, in fact, in the past decade the company has reduced their waste by 30 percent, eliminated more than 300 million pounds of packaging, save $6 million per year, and is currently one of the largest purchasers of recycled paper for use in its food containers and napkin.

Having stated above that the company is making a major move "for the environment", I wondered why is still their a need for testing? And why the customer's acceptance are necessary? Well obviously, they are more focused on the company image or operation, rather than making it a move for healthier environment.

Let us just hope the tests goes well and the program is implemented across all their restaurants worldwide. And hopefully, other companies would follow on with environmental moves.

source: GreenBiz